Electrical distance-register for railway-cars



(No Model.)

E. R. E. CCWEL-L.

ELECTRICAL DISTANCE REGISTER POR RAILWAY CARS. No. 250,649.- i Patented 11e.13,1881.

' f/Mz'/ @Zig/a@ i UNITED STATES PATENT Ommen.

EDWARD R. E. GOWELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 250,649, dated December 13, 1881.

i Application filed August 6, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, E. l. E. GOWELL, ot' Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Mileage Registers for Railway- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of this invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction of a device to automatically register the mileage of a car not only upon its single trip, but also to give a total mileage from the time when the car leaves the shop to the time of its return, and more especially to keep a record of mileage made by the wheels; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the'parts and their various combinations, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure l is a perspective view of the case which carries the principal operative parts of my device, showing the two dials upon which are registered the mileage of the ear in one, and in the other the mileage per trip, and also showing in sectional elevation the attachment to the car-wheel and box. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the escape attachment enlarged.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A represents a caraxle, which carries the wheel B, and is provided with a box, (l, all of the ordinary construction.

Upon the lower side of the box C is secured a box or casing, preferably made of non-conducting material, which is provided with the trip E, such trip being operated by means of a pin, F, projecting from the whe G represents a proper case secu ed at any convenient part of the car, and provided with any suitable train of clock-work operated by a spring, H, in such a manner that the hands upon the dial will be moved under the action of such spring and at such times as the escapement shall be released, as hereinafter described. I represents a suitable battery, which is secured within the case G. The wire J leads from the battery to the axle A, while the transmittingwire K leads from the post L, within the case Gr, to the outer end ot' the trip E in the box C.

Within the case G one pole of the battery is connected by the wire M to an electro-magnet, N, while another wire, O, connects such magnet to the post L.

P is an armature of the magnet N, and has adjustably secured to it a bar, It, passing through the frame, which carries the clockwork, and susceptible ofa reciprocating motion only, and this bar R has secured to it a detent, S, which engages with the teeth of the doubleratchet escapemeut T.

In operation, at every revolution of the carwheel the pin F comes in contact with the trip D, which completes the circuit from the battery and through the magnet N, which attracts the armature, causing the bar R to disengage the detent S from one series of teethof the doubleratchet escapemeut T, allowing the spring of the clock-work to move its attachments until the rotation of the escapemeut T is stopped by the engagement of the detent S with it, the parts being so geared up that the dial B will register each successive mile ot travel of the wheel B, the circuit being opened and closed by the action of the pin F upon the trip D. For the record of the mileage of the car the train of clock-work communicates with the hands ot" the dial a, which register upon its face every hundred miles traveled by the car. If desired, the case G ma-y be divided by suitable partition, and provided with doors upon the end, through which communication may be had to the works within the case, for the purpose of adjusting the hands upon the dial.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination with a train of gearing for operating a register, the circuit-breaking pin F and trip E, both connected with a battery, the double-ratchet escapemeut T, the sliding bar R, detent S, and means, substantially as described, for operating said sliding bar and detent, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with the case G, containtaining a clock-movement for operating the two dials of a mileage-register, the battery I, electro-magnet N, and armature P, ior actuating the reciprocating-bar R, for the purpose of engaging and disengaging the detent S with the double-ratchet escapemeut T, and a device,

substantially as described, for openingandelos- T, piu F, trip E, and suitable electrical con ing the circuit at each revolution 0f the carneetions between the piu F, trip E, battery I wheel, as :md for the purpose specified. and magnet N, as and for the purpose specified. ro

3. In combination with the eeseG,eontaiu EDWARD R. E. GOWELL.

ing a clock-movement for operating the dial of Witnesses:

a mileage-register, the battery I, magnet N, H. S. SPRAGUE,

armature P, sliding bar R, detent S, ratchet E. SCULLY. 

